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Purdue Fort Wayne
OAKLAND
Mastodons Split Summit Series Opener with Oakland
5/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 3, 2008
Rochester, MI - IPFW junior Brandon Knowling continued his unbeaten streak on Saturday afternoon in Game 1 of a Summit League double header at Oakland.
Knowling tossed seven innings of five-hit ball, giving up just an unearned run, while striking out six Golden Grizzlies as the Mastodons took the opener of the conference twinbill, 2-1.
Oakland stormed back with six runs in the sixth inning of Game 2 to earn a split, with a 10-4 win.
The 'Dons got on the board in the 1st inning of Game 1 as junior catcher Devin Taylor stroked a one-out double down the left field line. He would come home on a two-out RBI single from first baseman Shaun VanDriessche.
Oakland would tie it with an unearned run in their half of the opening frame on an RBI single by second baseman Rob Merkle.
In the second, IPFW got the game's final run. Senior left fielder Aaron Kerns singled to center. Sophomore third baseman Jason Doerffler also singled giving the 'Dons runners on first and second.
OU starter Mike Takashima made few mistakes in the game, but did as shortstop Mark Carden stepped to the plate. Takashima uncorked a wild pitch allowing Kerns and Doerffler to move up 90-feet.
Carden grounded out to short in his at-bat, but Kerns was able to score on the play.
That's all that Knowling and reliever Samuel Walker would need.
Knowling (6-0) turned it over to Walker in the eighth, and the freshman closed it out.
Walker threw two innings of one-hit ball for his fourth save of the year. He struck out three and walked one.
Takashima took the loss, giving up just five hits. He struck out seven Mastodons while walking four in nine innings of work.
In Game 2, IPFW took a 3-2 lead in the third inning on a two-run home run by senior center fielder Jared Davis. It was Davis' sixth homer of the season.
Oakland would take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third and then break the game open with six runs in the sixth inning to breeze to a 10-4 win in the nightcap.
Davis, designated hitter Chris Gottschall, and Kerns each had a pair of hit in Game 2. Kerns had four hits in the double header.
With the split, Oakland stands at 11-21, 4-7 (Summit League) while IPFW's record moves to 12-29-1 and 8-10 in conference play.
The Mastodons and Golden Grizzlies wrap up their series on Sunday afternoon with a double header at noon.
~Dons~
